Baitadeli, spoken primarily in Baitadi, Kanchanpur, and Kailali districts of Nepal’s Far West, is a dialect of the Doteli language. It falls under the larger Khas language group, an ancient predecessor of modern Nepali. The Doteli language and its dialects, including Baitadeli, are believed to have developed over centuries as part of the Khas linguistic tradition originating from the era of the Khasa Kingdom (10th–14th centuries).

Dharmendra Bahadur Dhami, in his research on ‘Person, Place and Time Deixis in English Language and Baitadeli Dialect’, notes that Baitadeli itself does not have a well-documented ancient written history but has been traditionally passed down orally within communities in Baitadi and neighbouring districts. The region historically belonged to the Great Katyuri kingdom before coming under the Khasa Kingdom in the medieval period, and later under the Chand dynasty. These political transitions shaped cultural practices and language use, with Baitadi as a significant centre within the Khas Kingdom.

According to Rajendra Rawal, senior vice president of Mahakali Sahitya Sangam, the oldest literary organisation in Far Western Nepal, “ There are few copperplate inscriptions which provide valuable records of the far west region kings—their dynasties, their strategies to sustain the kingdom, and the rulers themselves.’’

Although the inscriptions were formally written in Sanskrit, messages for the local population were conveyed orally in languages such as Baitadeli or Doteli. Examples are found in accounts of King Jagati Pal and King Trailokya Pal. Words like palayati, ijar jagga, and phagalo appear in these inscriptions. Some also bear monograms—such as swords and peacocks (the vehicle of Kartikeya)—with one such artefact still preserved in Kanchanpur. These are illustrated in the book ‘The History of Medieval Doti’.

Unlike Nepali, which developed a rich written body of work, Baitadeli remained primarily oral. It shares grammatical and phonological traits with other Doteli dialects, but none created a separate script tradition. When written, Baitadeli uses the Devanagari script, the same script as Nepali.

Linguistically, Baitadeli is considered one of the major dialects of Doteli, the regional language of Far Western Nepal, including Doti, Baitadi, Bajhang, and Darchula. Dhami in his study of deixis, observes that mutual intelligibility among these dialects is generally high. At the same time, Tirtha Raj Bhatta, a native of Baitadi, emphasises from his knowledge that Baitadeli retains unique phonological, morphological, and syntactic features particular to the Baitadi region.

Baitadeli differs from standard Nepali in phonology, grammar, and vocabulary. It uses pronouns and deictic expressions absent in Nepali, and idiomatic expressions carry the imprint of Baitadi’s environment. Rawal adds, “In standard Nepali grammar, there are 32 consonants, but in the far west language we identify an additional consonant ‘Ana’.’’ His organisation has developed a basic grammar of a far western language, covering morphology and syntax.

As Bhatta observes, “the dialect is spoken as the mother tongue by almost every community in the district. The Brahmins, the Chhetris, the Lavads and the Luhar communities across the district have used this dialect for at least 1300 years.”

Although Nepali is the language of formal administration, Bhatta notes that in daily life, “Nepali language is used merely in the government offices and in the formal documents, elsewhere Baitadeli/Swaradi prevails.” The dialect is spoken in everyday communication, festivals, and ceremonies such as Gaura Parva and marriages.

According to Bhatta, “Tone, accent and vocabulary shift from one settlement to another. For instance, people of the Tallo Swarad (Lower Swarad region) speak differently from the speakers of the Mallo Swarad (Upper Swarad). Likewise, speakers from border areas with Darchula differ mildly from those bordering Dadeldhura.” This internal variation is part of everyday identity and speech.

Bhatta also raises the concern of how Baitadeli relates to Dotyali: “The Dotyali language is projected to be an umbrella term for all dialects spoken in Baitadi, Bajura, Bajhang, Doti, and Achham. However, Baitadeli is specifically for the natives of Baitadi district.” He adds that many speakers of Baitadeli, Bajhangi, Achhami, and Bajurelo do not support the idea of one Dotyali language, as each district maintains its own dialectal identity.

For the people of Baitadi, the dialect is inseparable from cultural life. “The entire rural lifestyle survives in the Baitadeli language,” Bhatta says. Folklore, ritual, myth, and oral history have long been preserved through oral traditions before being recorded in written form.

This heritage continues today in the Far West through religious hymns like Phaaga and Sagoona, folk songs like Deuda, Thadibhaka, Dhamari, folktales (Baatai), riddles, and narratives about figures like Naagi Malla, a former king of the region.

Stories from the Mahabharata, as well as in Gaura Faag, Thadokhel, Baira (heroic ballads), Charitra gaan (narrative songs), and auspicious songs, are also carried forward in the native tongue, reinforcing Baitadeli as the vessel of collective memory.

Festivals also reinforce the dialect’s vitality. “Gaura, Navaratra, Bhailo, fairs of different Gods and Goddesses, Chhaliya dance are some pertinent examples,” says Bhatta.

When people from Baitadi move elsewhere—whether to Nepali cities or across the border—the dialect becomes a marker of origin. “In a crowd of Nepali-speaking people, when someone speaks or writes in one’s local tongue, one stands out, and in this way, Baitadeli offers a counter response to the dominant and hegemonic mindset,” Bhatta explains.

Structured campaigns for preservation are rare. “There is no such campaign yet,” Bhatta admits, noting that conservation relies on individual efforts by writers, poets, and journalists. Confusion among speakers, with many not distinguishing clearly between Baitadeli and Dotyali, further complicates its identity.

The vitality of Baitadeli faces challenges that are common to many local languages. Bhatta suggests that “the population speaking Baitadeli might be declining” as younger people gravitate toward Nepali, English, or Hindi, aided by media, education, and mobility.

Census data provide insight into the scale of speakers. According to the 2021 Nepal census, 155,666 people, or about 0.52 percent of Nepal’s population, speak the Baitadeli (Baitada) dialect.

Looking more locally, the 2011 census showed that in Baitadi district, 97.9 percent of the population reported Baitadeli as their first language; only 0.9 percent reported Nepali and 0.7 percent reported Doteli as their first language.

Although there has been strong historical representation, signs of linguistic pressure are evident: younger generations, education, mass media, and social mobility tend to favour Nepali or other more widely supported languages. Bhatta confirms that schooling “rarely” supports Baitadeli, and that children, while hearing the dialect at home, do not often find reinforcement in formal educational or institutional contexts.

Still, there are some hopeful signs in digital and community spaces. Locally produced YouTube videos, Facebook groups, and social media posts are adopting Baitadeli. Bhatta cites one viral comedy video of Rakesh Bhatta, a ward chairperson speaking in the dialect, as an example of grassroots revival.

Several writers and performers also keep the dialect alive. Among them are Late Dev Raj Bhatta Sharma, Bir Bahadur Chand, Late Dambar Datta Sharma Badu, Rajendra Rawal, Pushkar Bhatta, Hem Babu Lekhak, Basu Dev Pandey, Deepsagar Pant, Lokesh Saud, Tirtha Raj Bhatta, Kavi Raj Bhatta, Jagdish Ojha, Rajendra Bhatta, and Gokarn Dayal. Artists such as Bhanubhakta Joshi, Rakesh Bhatta, Gaurav Joshi, Lavdeb Joshi, etc. create content on digital platforms, whereas Antaram Bista, Gauri Bhatta, and Mahesh Auji perform Deuda songs in Baitadeli.

For Bhatta, the dialect is a medium and a means of connection. “My mother tongue, Baitadeli, has played an important role in shaping my identity and connecting me with my community,” he reflects. He seeks to anchor local memory and belonging through writing, singing, and festival participation.

He notes that academic work can serve the dialect, “I have presented papers on Baitadeli language and folklore in various conferences.” For him, the dialect is everyday communication and a way to register cultural presence beyond its locale.

Inside Sudurpaschim Province, linguistic diversity is profound: in Kanchanpur and Kailali, migrant communities have blended mountain dialects; in Achham, speech resembles that of Dailekh and Surkhet; in Bajang, Bajura and Dadeldhura, distinct local forms emerge; and in Baitadi and Darchula, dialects share subtle similarities.

These variations show how Sudurpaschim’s districts, while sharing roots in the Khas linguistic tradition, have each shaped distinct dialects that preserve local identity even as they overlap and intermingle across borders.